What is post-concussion syndrome?
After a concussion, the inner ear, eyes and neck can stop working together smoothly, causing dizziness, headaches and visual strain. Vestibular and oculomotor rehabilitation treats these systems directly.
What causes concussion?
A blow to the head or a sudden jolt, such as a car accident, a fall or a sports collision, can disrupt the inner ear, the eye-movement systems and the neck at the same time.
Concussion symptoms often involve more than one system. Whiplash can cause neck-related (cervicogenic) dizziness, post-traumatic headaches can behave like vestibular migraine, and a blow to the head can dislodge inner-ear crystals and cause BPPV. Hurt in a car accident? See our auto accident and personal injury care, with $0 at your visit through a Letter of Protection, Auto MedPay or Workers' Comp.
Neck pain after the injury?
Concussions often come with whiplash, and neck pain can drive headaches and dizziness. We assess and treat the neck alongside the inner ear and eye movements.
Understanding Post-Concussion Dizziness (mTBI)
A concussion (mild traumatic brain injury) frequently disrupts the delicate neurological pathways linking your oculomotor system (eyes), vestibular labyrinth (inner ears), and upper cervical spine (neck). When symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, fogginess, reading fatigue, and screen sensitivity persist for weeks or months after a sports injury, fall, or car accident, it indicates an uncompensated multi-system disconnect.
Why Passive Dark-Room Rest Delays Recovery
Modern concussion clinical guidelines demonstrate that prolonged rest beyond the first 48 hours delays recovery. Active, sub-symptom threshold rehabilitation targeting the exact oculomotor, vestibular, and cervical subsystems is required to restore normal cerebral blood flow and sensory integration.
Common symptoms of post-concussion syndrome
- Dizziness or imbalance after a head injury
- Headaches and neck pain
- Trouble reading or focusing on screens
- Sensitivity to busy environments or motion
- Brain fog and fatigue
Not sure this matches? Take the 60-second dizziness self-check.
How we diagnose post-concussion syndrome in Cumming and Alpharetta
At North Atlanta Vertigo & Physical Therapy, serving Alpharetta, Cumming, Johns Creek and Suwanee, your first visit is a full 60-minute, one-on-one evaluation with our physical therapy team, led by Dr. Manan Patel, PT, DPT, a Certified Vestibular Specialist. To find out which systems your concussion has affected, we record your eye movements with infrared video goggles and measure your balance on our BioSway computerized balance system. Testing can include:
- Vestibular and oculomotor screening: eye tracking, focusing and gaze stability
- Positional testing for BPPV, which can follow head trauma
- Neck assessment
- Balance and exertion tolerance testing
When to get urgent care
Specialized physical therapy treatment for post-concussion syndrome
At North Atlanta Vertigo & Physical Therapy, serving Cumming and Alpharetta, GA, Dr. Manan Patel and our physical therapists treat concussion and post-concussion syndrome with active concussion rehabilitation: sub-symptom aerobic exercise guided by Buffalo Concussion Treadmill principles, vestibular and eye movement training, and neck care. Every visit is 60 minutes, one-on-one, and we re-test as you improve.
Our 3-System Concussion Recovery Protocol
- 1. Oculomotor & Vision Therapy Profiling: Assessing and retraining convergence insufficiency, saccadic accuracy, smooth pursuit tracking, and VOR gaze stability to reduce reading and screen headaches.
- 2. Vestibular & Upper Cervical Whiplash Integration: Clearing concurrent post-traumatic BPPV with Infrared Video Goggles while mobilizing and stabilizing injured upper cervical spine segments.
- 3. Heart-Rate Monitored Autonomic Reconditioning: Graduated exertional testing and aerobic conditioning (Buffalo Concussion Treadmill/Bike principles) to normalize autonomic blood flow regulation for safe return to work, school, or sport.
Your treatment plan
Settle symptoms
A short period of relative rest, then a guided return to light activity.
Targeted rehabilitation
Gaze stabilization, eye-tracking, habituation and neck treatment, based on your test findings.
Return to work, school and sport
Graded exertion and activity progression, coordinated with your physician.
Recovery and what to expect
Many people recover from a concussion within a few weeks. When dizziness or visual symptoms persist, the APTA concussion guideline recommends targeted vestibular and oculomotor rehabilitation.
Tips for daily life
- Keep light physical activity going within comfortable limits
- Limit screen time early on and take regular breaks
- Make sleep a priority
- Return to driving, work and sport gradually, with your physician's guidance
Frequently asked questions about concussion
When should I start therapy after a concussion?
Guided activity is now recommended over strict rest. If dizziness or visual symptoms are not improving after a week or two, an evaluation helps.
Do you treat sports and car-accident concussions?
Yes, including Workers' Comp and auto-accident lien cases, with documentation for case managers and attorneys.
What does a concussion evaluation include?
Eye-movement and focusing tests with infrared video goggles, positional tests for BPPV, balance testing, a neck assessment, an exercise-tolerance check and symptom questionnaires, in one 60-minute, 1-on-1 visit.
Can a concussion cause vertigo?
Yes. A head injury can knock inner-ear crystals loose and cause BPPV, and concussion can also disrupt the balance and eye-movement systems. Each cause needs a different treatment, so we test for each one.
Do you help with return to school, work or sport?
Yes. We build a graded plan for returning to learning, work and exercise and keep your physician informed. Final medical clearance for contact sport comes from the athlete's physician.
Is concussion care covered after a car accident?
Yes. Concussions from car accidents can be treated through Auto MedPay or a personal injury attorney's Letter of Protection with $0 at your visit, and Workers' Compensation covers work injuries.
Related guides
- Concussion recovery: why complete rest isn't the answerWhy brief rest and gradual activity beat a dark room, and when to get rehab.3 min read · Patients
- After a car accident: a guide to whiplash, concussion and dizzinessWhat to do after a crash, delayed symptoms, and how whiplash and concussion are treated.3 min read · Patients
Browse all guides in our learning center
Questions patients ask
- Why do busy grocery store aisles, fluorescent lights and scrolling screens make me dizzy?
- What are smooth pursuit and saccade problems, and how do they cause chronic dizziness?
- Why is 'just rest in a dark room' outdated advice for concussion headaches, blurry vision and dizziness?
- Can a car accident cause vertigo? Whiplash, inner ear and neck injuries after a crash
- How do objective vestibular tests document concussion and dizziness injuries in personal injury cases?
Related conditions
- Neck-related (cervicogenic) dizzinessDizziness driven by tight or injured joints in the upper neck.
- BPPV (positional vertigo)Brief, intense spinning when you turn in bed or look up.
- Persistent dizziness (PPPD)A constant sense of rocking or swaying that does not settle.
- Vestibular migraineDizziness and motion sensitivity linked to migraine.
References
- Quatman-Yates CC, et al. Physical Therapy Evaluation and Treatment After Concussion/Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Clinical Practice Guidelines. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2020.
- Patricios JS, et al. Consensus statement on concussion in sport: the 6th International Conference on Concussion in Sport, Amsterdam 2022. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2023.
Where to get treated
Book at either clinic. Same phone number, same team, same 60-minute visits.
Cumming clinic
Off GA-400 Exit 13 on Peachtree Parkway
Cumming, GA 30041
Alpharetta clinic
Inside Georgia Brain & Spine Physical Therapy
Alpharetta, GA 30022
Also serving Johns Creek, Milton, Roswell, Suwanee and nearby communities.
